A U.S. Border Patrol agent was gunned down Monday in northern Vermont near the Canada border, officials said.
A suspect was killed and another injured after the shooting that occurred on Interstate 91 in Coventry, roughly 20 miles from the border with Canada.
Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman said the agent died “in the line of duty” adding that the victim was assigned to the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector.
While the agent’s identity remains undisclosed, Huffman promised his death would be “swiftly investigated.”
“Every single day, our Border Patrol agents put themselves in harm’s way so that Americans and our homeland are safe and secure,” Huffman added.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Peter Welch, and Rep. Becca Balint mourned the agent’s death and said in a joint statement that Border agents “deserve our full support in terms of staffing, pay and working conditions.”
